Recently, FDI Intelligence, the world's leading business expert, selected Glasgow as the best city for Europe's overseas investment strategyIt compares its ranking with other European cities, such as Bilbao, Porto, Dusseldorf and Gothenburg, and is particularly strong in terms of methods and capabilities to attract foreign investment.
FDI Intelligence, part of the Financial Times Group, cites the partnerships Glasgow has forged between academia, business and the community, as well as the hundreds of millions of pounds in funding it has received over the past 18 months to drive the development of emerging innovative industries across the city.
In the 2024 European Cities & Regions of the Future, Glasgow was ranked 1st not only in terms of FDI strategy, but also in 5th in terms of connectivity and 10th in terms of business friendliness. The ranking is based on the performance of 330 European cities, with the large city category comprising cities with a population of more than 500,000 and urban regions with a population of more than 1 million.
Glasgow City**'s Invest in Glasgow team has helped attract overseas investment, bringing in more than 6,000 jobs over the past five years. The team has helped attract investment from major companies in Glasgow such as Barclays, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Merck KGAA, Planet DDS and Spire Global.
The University of Glasgow is a key partner in Glasgow's regional economic strategy and is currently undertaking significant work around life sciences, fintech, quantum technology, creativity and digital technologies to foster the development of the innovation economy. Universities and colleges provide urban areas with a skills base that meets current and future needs.
Uzma Khan, Vice-Chancellor for Economic Development and Innovation at the University of Glasgow, believes that the University of Glasgow is committed to creating decent, well-paying jobs and attracting investment to the Glasgow region through the University's world-leading research excellence and innovation ambitions. The University's global expertise in industries such as financial services and life sciences, as well as its growing reputation in the renewable energy sector, combine to make the city one of the top choices for investors and businesses seeking to do business here.
By focusing on the development of the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District, the University of Glasgow is investing with partners to support urban strategies, such as the development of a world-class health innovation hub in Govan, which will lay the foundation for a thriving Glasgow life sciences cluster in the future, attracting new innovative businesses to the region.
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, believes that the city's economic policies have changed the way the city invests abroad, making it one of the top European cities, attracting high-quality jobs and achieving shared growth for citizens. In recent years, sectors such as technology, the green economy, the space industry, the creative economy and advanced manufacturing have emerged in a truly significant manner, which will help drive future growth and the creation of highly skilled jobs in Glasgow.